Larry Craig: “let me say that the Senator from New Hampshire has spoken very clearly about the frustrations many of us have or are now…”

“let me say that the Senator from New Hampshire has spoken very clearly about the frustrations many of us have or are now beginning to have when we look at the President's budget and try to figure out what it means. Let me express another frustration that certainly will be part of the debate that will occur here on the floor of this Senate over the next week as we debate a constitutional amendment to balance the budget, and that is where does that all fit with this President and this administration and their budget and how can we possibly make that work? It is my understanding that there was an interesting internal debate down at the White House. The President's personal adviser said, ``Mr. President, you ought to be for a balanced budget,'' and yet OMB weighed in and said, ``You cannot be for a balanced budget.'' Finally, Laura Tyson, the chairwoman of the President's Economic Advisers came up and said ``We are not for a balanced budget.'' So when all of these administration types paraded out in the last week to say we are against a balanced budget, what they were doing was saying, ``My salary depends on a balanced budget. If my boss had been for it, I would be for it.'' What kind of fiscal commitment is that to the long-term economic stability of this country? It is not what I believe, it is who I do my bidding for. That is why the debate and the vote that will occur on a constitutional amendment for a balanced budget becomes critical in the coming days.”